IBADAN, Nigeria — Detectives in Oyo State are conducting a forensic analysis on a viral video showing the staff and pupils who were kidnapped during a daylight raid on local schools.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed on Sunday that it had intercepted the footage, which began circulating across social media platforms 48 hours after heavily armed gunmen launched coordinated attacks in the Oriire Local Government Area.
The gang had stormed the Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, alongside a shared campus in Esiele on Friday morning, killing an assistant headmaster and marching a vice-principal and several children into the forest.
Forensic Examination Underway
State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, stated from the state capital, Ibadan, that specialized cyber and intelligence units are analyzing the video.
“The footage is presently undergoing comprehensive forensic examination to determine its authenticity and further aid ongoing investigations and rescue operations, as well as the identification and arrest of the perpetrators,” DSP Ayanlade said.
Kidnapping syndicates in Nigeria frequently use video recordings of hostages to pressure families and the government into paying substantial ransoms, often sharing the clips online to amplify panic.
A Warning Against Misinformation
With tension mounting in the affected communities, the police command issued a stern warning to the public regarding online speculation.
The authorities urged citizens to:
- Refrain from sharing unverified content or graphic media that could compromise the safety of the hostages.
- Avoid spreading misleading information that could create public panic, noting that criminal elements often exploit fear to stall rescue efforts.
- Channel actionable intelligence or sightings directly to the nearest security formation.
Military-Backed Search Intensifies
The police command reiterated that tactical units, operating alongside military personnel and local hunters, are continuing to comb the border forests where the abductors are believed to be holding the victims.
The Senate has already condemned the dual schools attack, calling for a swift and decisive security response to halt the encroachment of kidnapping gangs into the country’s southwestern territories.
While the police declined to comment on whether the gunmen had made formal ransom demands, they maintained that “no effort would be spared” to ensure the victims are rescued unharmed and reunited with their families.
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